Sweden's Maja Stark grabs one-shot lead at US Women's Open
CHICAGO – Maja Stark fired three birdies in an impressively steady two-under 70 at an unforgiving Erin Hills on May 31 to seize a one-stroke lead over Julia Lopez Ramirez heading into the final round of the 80th US Women's Open.
Sweden's Stark, a European Solheim Cup stalwart chasing her first Major title, kept her focus in a round that stretched nearly six hours as players wrestled with firm, fast greens on a breezy, sunny day in Wisconsin.
Her seven-under total of 209 put her one stroke clear of Spanish qualifier Lopez Ramirez, whose four-under 68 was the best score of a day on which only nine players broke par.
Japan's Mai Saigo, who started the day with a three-shot lead, carded a three-over 75 to share third, alongside compatriots Rio Takeda and Hinako Shibuno on five-under 211.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who played alongside Saigo in the final group, finished strong in a one-over 73 that left her three adrift on four-under 212.
Stark said the very difficulty of the course actually made her less anxious – a key for her as she tries to kick the habit of 'playing scared'.
'In normal tournaments, I kind of swing scared because I think it's a birdie competition, but here it's really not,' Stark said, adding that on June 1, she will just 'try to play freely'.
Stark opened with a confidence-boosting birdie at the first hole. She bogeyed the third, but stuck her second shot at the 10th two feet from the pin for a birdie.
Stark rattled in a 21-foot birdie at the par-three 16th to seize a share of the lead on seven-under, capping her round with a par at the par-five 18th and emerging with the solo lead as Saigo closed with back-to-back bogeys.
The tough scoring made Lopez Ramirez's round look all the more impressive.
The 22-year-old, who had to pause her LPGA rookie campaign in March after undergoing an appendectomy, eagled the par-five first and bounced back from a bogey at the third with a birdie at the seventh, where she got up and down from a greenside bunker.
She added birdies at 12 and 16 to put herself in contention for a first major title.
'It was just mentally a strong day for me, keeping myself present and dealing with what's in front of me,' Lopez Ramirez added.
On the PGA Tour, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler conjured a late birdie blitz to fire a four-under 68 and grab a one-shot lead after the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on May 31.
Scheffler, bidding to successfully defend his crown at Muirfield Village, rattled in four birdies in the final five holes to drop to eight under, one ahead of overnight leader Ben Griffin, who stumbled with an even-par 72. AFP
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